_Importance of attainments._—All these personal attainments, whether confined to individuals or extended over whole communities, must be reckoned among producing powers and reckoned with in estimate of earnings. A community deficient in either is low in ability to supply its own wants or the world’s wants, and no amount of material capital can take their place. They are superior to capital in being less destructible by fire or flood, and more easily turned to account in new enterprises as needed. No capital is perpetual, even in most fixed forms, nor is any personal attainment sure to remain of direct use; but the latter has a larger expectation of usefulness and greater permanence in the economy of nations. Chapter VI. Combination Of Forces For Individual Efficiency. _Ideal manliness._—Every community has highest efficiency and best civilization when each individual member has the largest range of abilities to meet wants, and the largest range of wants to be met. An ideal civilization involves the distinct aim of gaining for each mature person in any association the fullest development of all abilities and all materials and tools for their use. This is amply illustrated in a family of well grown, well trained, well educated, trustworthy men and women with sufficient capital under control to maintain the highest activity of every personal power and attainment. Childhood and old age must always be provided for by exertions of those whose abilities are in their prime, and accidental weakness of every kind is met from the same strength. Any mature person is best equipped for productive industry when, sound in both body and mind, he has the accumulated energy of the past for his use in the shape of capital and hereditary traits, together with skill, education and established character. Such a man is recognized at once to have his place among “the heirs of all the ages in the foremost files of time.” Any people claiming leadership among nations must depend upon its representatives of such a fully equipped body of men for that leadership. _From savage to enlightened._—The increasing importance of such full manliness, as society becomes more complex in both wants and efforts, is easily seen. In ruder life muscular energy and endurance, with some slight ingenuity, are sufficient to meet the ruder needs, with some chance of saving for future wants of a growing family, which will continue the same round of muscular contest with savage conditions.